AS MOVIE LOVERS grow more content watching flicks in the comfort of their own homes, theater owners are unleashing all manner of technologies to peel customers off the couch and propel them into the cinema. From gigantic screens to hyper-realistic sound systems, it's a golden age for a long-standing summer tradition. Only problem is, the typical movie listing is now an alphabet soup of options: IMAX, AMC ETX, Dolby Atmos—what does it all mean? To help you get the most out of your blockbuster-viewing experience, we put together this crash course on theater features that may make you want to put your Netflix stream on pause.

1. Seek Out a Bigger Screen

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Illustration by Sean McCabe for The Wall Street Journal

IMAX's claim to fame is that its screens aren't just big—they're monstrously so. The Toronto-based company's largest installation, in Sydney, Australia, measures a jaw-dropping 96 feet high (about eight stories) by 117 feet wide. But be forewarned that screen size can vary substantially among theaters. While the biggest IMAX screens in North America—at AMC's Lincoln Square 13 in New York City and AMC's Metreon 16 in San Francisco—are 75 feet high by 97 feet wide, the IMAX screens you'll find in some multiplexes are a mere 24 feet tall by 47 feet wide.

The huge IMAX theaters are labeled in exactly the same way as those with smaller screens—and the ticket prices are often the same. Your best bet is to inquire with the theater or check out online reviews, of which there are plenty (just type the theater's name and "review" into a search engine).

Even if you don't think a towering screen is crucial, you should still head to a bigger IMAX theater for certain Hollywood movies: those shot, in part, with IMAX's proprietary large-format cameras, which are the highest resolution in the world. For these scenes, the image switches from the standard letterbox format to one that fills the full height of the IMAX screen. Only the larger, purpose-built IMAX theaters are capable of displaying the image in its entirety. The effect is breathtaking. "Star Trek Into Darkness," released last month, has footage filmed with IMAX cameras; "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire," out this November, and Christopher Nolan's "Interstellar," slated for release next year, will as well.

IMAX theaters offer additional advantages. Their multichannel sound systems have 10 times more dynamic range than those in standard theaters. All Hollywood movies shown in IMAX are digitally remastered in collaboration with the filmmakers to reduce grain and noise and to optimize the image. Also, IMAX takes its quality control seriously: The company continually monitors and tweaks picture and sound from afar using remote-access cameras and microphones.

Still, you have other options. While nothing compares to IMAX XL, many theaters across the country offer upsized screenings for a small surcharge. Regal Entertainment Group's RPX theaters have larger screens, not to mention plusher seats with high back rests. Marcus UltraScreen—whose largest screen is 32 by 75 feet, about the same size as some IMAX theaters—offers similar benefits, as does Cinemark's XD. Meanwhile, AMC ETX screens are about 20% larger than those in standard theaters and feature 12-channel audio. Your living room doesn't.

2. Opt for More Surrounding Sound

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Illustration by Sean McCabe for The Wall Street Journal

Don't underestimate a kicking sound system's ability to upgrade the experience. The right setup is the cinematic equivalent of a fine wine with a gourmet meal—it enhances the overall experience without getting in the way. Some even believe that quality sound is more crucial to a film's ability to draw you in than image size.

Dolby Atmos, which debuted with the 2012 Disney/Pixar film "Brave," boasts audio that is approximately 10 times higher in resolution than at standard theaters, and the format allows filmmakers unprecedented control over where sounds seem to emanate from. Theaters are equipped with up to 64 speakers, including on the ceiling, to create a more atmospheric effect.

Only certain movies have soundtracks that take full advantage of Atmos's capabilities—including this summer's "The Wolverine," "Monsters University" and "Elysium"—and the system is currently exclusive to specialty theaters like Regal RPX and AMC ETX, which means you'll be paying a few dollars more for the experience. About 100 theaters are currently Atmos-equipped. If given the chance, opt for the upgrade. The difference is more dramatic than some of the on-screen dialogue.

In many theaters, you'll still find Dolby's dominant sound technology: Dolby Digital 5.1. The company is in the process of upgrading all 5.1 theaters with either Atmos or Dolby Surround 7.1, which offers double the number of surround zones from the last generation. You can search for theaters with this system on Dolby's website, dolby.com. They're worth seeking out, and there is usually no additional charge for the improved sound.

3. Deepen the 3-D Experience

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Illustration by Sean McCabe for The Wall Street Journal

Bigger isn't always better. Some films, especially those featuring hurtling asteroids, benefit from 3-D wizardry. You essentially have two choices for viewing most films in 3-D: RealD, which is the most popular 3-D technology by ticket sales, and Dolby 3D. RealD uses a technique called polarization. (Although this usually results in a loss of brightness, RealD claims that their light-enhancing technology creates an image that's twice as bright as competing technologies.) Dolby 3D, meanwhile, uses an approach called color separation, which can result in fewer of the quirks that usually plague 3-D movies, such as ghosted images.

So which technology is better? We've found that films like "Avatar" or "Oz the Great and Powerful," which are bright, vivid and largely computer-generated, look great in RealD. Dolby 3D, on the other hand, tends to suit films with less contrast, like live-action movies.

For select films, you also have the option of IMAX 3D. While it might sound like the best of both worlds—gigantic screen, eye-popping effects—it does have drawbacks. The polarization method it uses—linear rather than circular, in case you're wondering—works best when you face the screen directly, otherwise faint double images may appear. Although this is true with all 3-D technologies, IMAX 3D has a less forgiving viewing angle than RealD or Dolby 3D. That said, IMAX 3D films are remastered and shown using two digital projectors, so the image is usually brighter. To see the technology's full potential, check out Michael Bay's fourth Transformers movie, slated for release next year. It will be the first feature film shot using IMAX's latest, ultra-high-resolution digital 3-D cameras. It also promises to have plenty of Autobots.

Celluloid to Digital: A Primer on Projection

While you don't have much choice when it comes to how a movie is projected, it's helpful to know how each approach differs.

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Illustration by Sean McCabe for The Wall Street Journal

Film

This format is fading, but real film is still projected, often at indie houses. Cinema buffs maintain that nothing beats the grainy, high-contrast glory of celluloid. In addition to standard 35mm film, you can find the larger format 70mm with bygone blockbusters like "Lawrence of Arabia," certain IMAX movies and the occasional feature film (like last year's "The Master"). You'll know it when you see it. It's glorious.

Digital Light Processing (DLP)

Digital projection is now used in more than 85% of all theaters world-wide. Many movies are shot entirely in the digital domain—the first being "Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones." With digital, there are none of the problems associated with film, like dirt, scratches and faded colors. Some argue that DLP doesn't look as natural as film, but as the technology improves, it's getting harder to tell the two formats apart.

Laser

Laser projection isn't ready for a broad rollout, but in the next five to 10 years, it promises to bring better contrast and brightness to movies than DLP does. Once the technology becomes cost effective—the electricity required for laser projection is enormous—its proponents believe that digital movies will look even better than film.

Corrections & Amplifications IMAX screens at some multiplexes, accounting for 24 of the total 364 IMAX screens, measure 24 feet tall by 47 feet wide. An earlier version of this article incorrectly said many IMAX screens are that size.

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